ESET Protect Review: Multi-layered Endpoint Security for Businesses and Enterprises

Businesses face an unprecedented level of security risks in today’s digital world. From phishing and other social engineering attacks to highly targeted attacks or broad attacks. Bring your own devices (BYOD) and work from home programs have increased attack surfaces further in recent times.

Endpoint security solutions play a key role for businesses of all sizes. They take existing and new threats into account, and protect company servers, devices, and infrastructure from attacks.

ESET Protect Platform is an endpoint protection solution for small and medium-sized businesses, and enterprises. It combines traditional antivirus capabilities with AI-assisted security features and a range of advanced protection and management options. [

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ESET Protect Features

ESET is offering different protection tiers to small and medium-sized businesses. All four plans include a base set of security features. Smaller plans may be expanded with add-ons, which add features that are, by default, integrated into higher playing plans. This system gives customers flexibility when selecting the right plan.

All plans include access to a console, which is available in the cloud or as an on-premises solution. It offers real-time visibility of all endpoints, reporting, and gives administrators options to control prevention, detection, and responses.

A base set of security features, which ESET calls Modern Endpoint Protection, is also supported across all plans.

ESET Protect Entry

ESET Protect Entry is the cheapest plan available and among its features, it includes:

• An integrated antivirus solution
• Network protection
• Anti-phishing protection
• Device control, which may be used to restrict unauthorized devices such as USB drives.
• Server security is also included. This is a real-time feature that protects data while it passes through company servers.

The base set of security features is limited, and decision makers may find it lacking in some regards. Server security, for example, does not include Mail Server Security and premium support is only available as an add-on.

ESET Protect Advanced

The second plan available adds three additional features:

• Full Disk Encryption: to protect data on storage devices.
• Advanced Threat Defense: a proactive cloud-based tool that uses machine learning to prevent ransomware and unknown threats.
• Mobile Threat Defense: automated protection of an organization’s entire mobile fleet. Also includes options to block unwanted apps and mobile device management for iOS and IpadOS.

It supports more add-ons than the Entry plan on top of that. 

ESET Protect Complete

ESET Protect’s third plan includes all protections of the Advanced plan and supports three security features next to that:

• Vulnerability & Patch Management: highlights unpatched vulnerabilities and missing updates in operating systems and applications.
• Mail Server Security: designed specifically for Microsoft Exchange servers, it combines advanced phishing, malware, and spam protection with cloud-based proactive defenses. 
• Cloud App Protection: proactive threat defense for Microsoft 365 and Google Workspaces.

ESET Protect MDR

Finally, ESET Protect MDR includes all features. It is the only plan without pricing information on ESET’s website. It includes the following features, apart from all features of all the other plans:

• Premium Support Essential: prioritized, accelerated, and guaranteed support from experts.
• MDR Service: A Managed Detection and Response service that combines human expertise with AI for “unmatched detection and rapid incident response”.
• Multi-Factor Authentication: Second layer of authentication to improve security.

Extended Detection and Response (XDR): Gives additional platform capabilities and ESET Inspect, a cloud-based tool that visualizes threats and systems.

What are the top features of ESET Protect?

There can’t be a definitive answer to the question, as it depends largely on a business’ needs. ESET’s core security features are key. ESET Protect Advanced got the highest score in the latest AV-Test and AV Comparatives tests, and it shares the main security protection with all other plans.

As far as top features are concerned, here are our picks:

• Defense against advanced threats, as it takes care of ransomware and threats that are not yet known.
• MDR Service, as it combines human expertise with AI to improve detection and incident responses further.

Main features that make ESET Protect suitable for EDR (Endpoint Detection and Response)

ESET Protect offers several features that make it a suitable EDR service. Here are some of the key features:

• Multilayered protection that covers all your endpoint devices and attack types (including zero day threats).
• Protection from your browser through Web Control.
• Cloud application protection.
• Reporting capabilities that generate reports to visualize the network status.
• Threat intelligence using ESET’s LiveGrid reputation service.
• Root cause analysis that explains what happened and when it happened.
• Rules-based detection engine.
• Integration with the MITRE ATT&CK Framework.
• Manual and automated actions.

Pros and Cons of ESET Protect

Like any other endpoint security platform, ESET Protect has its share of positive features and features that could be improved.

Pros of ESET Endpoint Protection

• Multi-layered endpoint protection for computers, mobiles, and networks.
• Vulnerability management made easy thanks to ESET Protect Cloud.
• Strong protection against common and uncommon threats, e.g., phishing, ransomware, or new exploits.
• Multi-platform: ESET Protect supports all major operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, and Linux. It is also available on Android and iOS devices.
• Advanced plans include a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service that utilizes AI and human resources.
• Integrated security for cloud apps, including Microsoft 365 and Google Workspaces.
• ESET Protect On-Prem supported to manage ESET products from a central location in a networked environment.
• Enables full disk encryption to comply with data protection laws like GDPR.
• Allows administrators to configure policies for firewall rules management.
• Quarantines malware upon detection, preventing compromising the systems.

Cons of ESET Endpoint Protection

• Essential features, including additional authentication methods like MFA or mobile threat defense not included in all plans (some available as add-ons).
• Premium support is only available as an add-on or in advanced plans.

The user interface feels complex and sometimes not intuitive

ESET Protect Pricing Plans

Like many of its peers, ESET is offering several plans for small and medium-sized businesses, and enterprises. All plans include a base set of security features, others may be purchased as add-ons. This gives businesses some flexibility when selecting the right protection plan.

ESET Protect Entry customers may, for example, add Mobile Threat Defense or Premium Support Essential as an add-on to their plan. However, add-on pricing is not revealed on the ESET website. It is necessary to contact sales to get pricing information.

The minimum number of devices is five. Businesses may purchase licenses for up to 100 devices online and an unlimited number via Sales. Free trials are available.

While Enterprises may subscribe to any of the plans, ESET is offering two additional plans to large businesses and Enterprises.

• ESET Protect Elite: Contains a wide range of features. It lacks Managed Detection and Response (MDR) support and Premium Support Advanced.
• ESET Protect MDR Ultimate: This plan includes all security and support features.

Pricing for all Enterprise solutions is not available on the ESET website. Discounts are usually available for volume purchases and multi-year contracts.

What we like about ESET Protect

ESET security software does very well in tests. The company has years of experience in the field and its antivirus solutions are highly rated. 

Businesses benefit from ESET’s experience in the field. The Protect Platform extends security further, offering strong protection for endpoints without slowing down devices noticeably. 

Its multi-layered approach to security and excellent cross-platform integration ensures protection for any company device from known and emerging threats. 

Larger plans add more protection and security features. Managed Detection and Response stands out, as it combines human expertise with AI to push security to the next level and counter the use of AI by threat actors.

What could be better

As good as the core security features of ESET Protect are, quite a few are only available in the more expensive plans. While some are available as add-ons, it may strain the budget of smaller businesses, especially since some protective features are essential for any business. 

This does not mean, for example, that ESET does not offer protection against ransomware, but that advanced detections are not available in all plans. Customization options are furthermore limited in comparison to some competing offers and there are reports from IT administrators that managing security settings can be a burden. 

Lastly, while AI features are integrated, they are only integrated in the most expensive plan or available as add-ons, but even then, not for all plans. Some competitors, for example Bitdefender, with its GravityZone platform, seem to have incorporated AI into more processes already.

Our recommendation

ESET Endpoint Protect offers strong and reliable endpoint protection. Based on our review, it is ideal for the following groups and businesses:

• Mid-sized businesses and Enterprises looking for a multi-platform endpoint security solution. Higher priced tiers add essential protections such as better ransomware protections or AI-assisted defenses and detections.
• IT teams and administrators that want a lightweight, robust, and highly capable security platform.

ESET Protect Alternatives

While ESET Protect is a great cybersecurity platform, it might not be the perfect choice for your business. Here are our favorite alternatives to this cibersecurity platform:

Bitdefender GravityZone vs ESET Protect

Bitdefender GravityZone is a strong contender. GravityZone Business Security, for example, is a unified endpoint security platform for medium-sized businesses. 

It includes Managed Detection and Response (MDR) and Extended Detection and Response (XDR) next to core protection features. It may offer better AI-driven threat detection, but ESET is also utilizing AI already to improve security.  [

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Other alternatives to ESET Protect

• Sophos Intercept X Endpoint Protection is another EDR solution. It is only available through third-party partners and features effective threat detection and a well-designed interface.

• WithSecure Elements, formerly known as F-Secure Elements, is a modular cybersecurity solution that brings XDR, XM, MDR and other security features together. Plans are only available via local partners, which means that pricing may be different.

Final Thoughts

ESET Protect is a powerful endpoint security platform that combines ESET’s decades of security knowledge with state-of-the-art protection. 

While core protection is guaranteed for all plans, s ome essential features are only available in higher priced plans. That may be understandable for MDR, but not when it comes to essential protection against common threat types such as ransomware.

This makes ESET Protect Advanced the first entry-level plan, even though it is not. It includes essential protection that Protect Entry lacks and can’t get, even with add-ons.

Verdict: ESET Protect is an excellent endpoint security platform for medium-sized businesses and enterprises, starting with the Protect Advanced plan. The option to add features to a lower tier is not unique, but it still gives businesses some flexibility in this regard.